The Petrified Lioness
by Tempted Sacrifice
Summary: It's in the Trio's second year when Hermione get's petrified. The rest you get to read and find out. Isn't quite sure what genre it is.


Penelope, the fifth year prefect was just about to turn around the corner when Hermione stopped her.

"Here take this and look before walking." Hermione whispered and handed the prefect a little mirror and she took it gratefully with a nod and smile. They looked into their mirrors, and all they saw before they froze were a pair of big yellow eyes on the head of a giant basilisk.

Severus Snape was walking down the halls towards the Quidditch game when he saw Minerva running towards him with a bewildered and scared expression on her face and Severus could only think of one thing that could cause her that right now. The attacks on the students of Hogwarts.

"There have been two other victims. Ms. Clearwater from Ravenclaw and Ms. Granger has been attacked." Even though Snape's expression didn't reveal anything inside his emotions were going on turmoil.

_Granger._

He stood there in shock after Minerva left and stared outside the window. Of course he knew that Ms. Granger could be attacked, since she was a Muggleborn, but still… He hadn't thought that it would actually happen her, as she was always hanging around that Potter and the youngest Weasley boy.

"Why do I even care?" He thought as he walked down the halls down to his own quarters.

The truth was that he had taken a special liking on the little Gryffindor when he first laid his eyes on her at the sorting. He felt protective about her, but of course he wouldn't show it, since that would make the old fool try and play match-maker. For God's sake, she's only a child, while I'm twenty years older than her.

When the night came I walked out from my quarters and silently made my way to the Hospital Wing. I had the luck to meet a few sixth years wandering the hall and I noted that they were Gryffindors so I took a few more points more than was necessary.

When I arrived outside the Hospital Wing I looked around before quietly slipping inside and walked over to Ms. Granger's bed, where she lay absolutely still, and if he hadn't known better he could've thought she was dead. He sat down and laid his hand over her smaller one and inwardly winced at the coldness that creped inside his skin and made shivers run down his spine.

He sat there and just stared at her bushy hair that lay around her and making her pale skin look even paler, especially in the moonlight that shone from outside.

When he let go of her hand to go his sharp eyes caught sight of a paper in her hand and he carefully took it out and unfolded the crumpled paper, that by the looks of it had been ripped out of a book.

His eyes widened as he stared down at the paper. A basilisk was roaming the castle? How was that even possible?

His thoughts immediately went to the Dark Lord, but isn't he supposed to be dead? No, it can't be him, but who else?

Malfoy would hardly be able to control a beast, since he can't parseltongue. But then it has to be the Dark Lord, if it isn't Potter, which Severus had a hard time believing. That little saint wouldn't be able to do anything like this.

When Severus heard footsteps outside the Hospital Wing he put the paper back in Granger's hand and slipped into the shadows, watching as the door opened but no one came in.

_Potter and Weasley, of course. _

When they took of the invisible cloak and their attention was on Ms. Granger, Severus slipped out from the Hospital Wing, making his way towards the Headmaster office to notify about the possibility of the Dark Lord somehow controlling the basilisk that is petrifying students.

* * *

A/N: After this Ron and Harry hear about Ginny being in the Chamber of Secrets, and when Snape gets the chance to tell Dumbledore about his suspicions the boys are already along with Lockhart in the CoS and Harry fighting the basilisk, so that's why I didn't write anymore. You can say that this is a sort of canon story, since it follows the events (I think).


End file.
